• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.62 no.3
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• pp.373-380
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• 2017

Concrete structures are often subjected to long-term static and short-term dynamic loads. Due to a relatively low tensile strength and energy dissipating characteristics, the impact resistance of concrete is considered poor. This study investigates the feasibility of using polypropylene fibers to improve the impact resistance of reinforced concrete slabs. Fourteen polypropylene fiber reinforced concrete slabs were fabricated and tested using a drop weight test. The effects of slab thickness, fiber volume fractions, and impact energy on the dynamic behaviors were evaluated mainly in terms of impact resistant, crack patterns, and failure modes. The post impact induced strains versus time responses were obtained for all slabs. The results showed that adding the polypropylene fiber at a dosage of 0.90% by volume of concrete leads to significant improvement in the overall structural behavior of the slabs and their resistance to impact loading. Interestingly, the enhancement in the behavior of the slabs using a higher fiber dosage of 1.2% was not as good as achieved with 0.90%.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.323-338
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• 2000

An analytical approach for the prediction of the behaviour of steel-fiber reinforced concrete beams subjected to torsion is described. The analysis method employs a special stress-strain model with a non-linear post cracking branch for the material behaviour in tension. Predictions of this model for the behaviour of steel-fiber concrete in direct tension are also presented and compared with results from tests conducted for this reason. Further in this work, the validation of the proposed torsional analysis by providing comparisons between experimental curves and analytical predictions, is attempted. For this purpose a series of 10 steel-fiber concrete beams with various cross-sections and steel-fiber volume fractions tested in pure torsion, are reported here. Furthermore, experimental information compiled from works around the world are also used in an attempt to establish the validity of the described approach based on test results of a broad range of studies. From these comparisons it is demonstrated that the proposed analysis describes well the behaviour of steel-fiber concrete in pure torsion even in the case of elements with non-rectangular cross-sections.

• Composites Research
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.7-13
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• 2010

A volume integral equation method (VIEM) is introduced for the solution of elastostatic problems in an unbounded isotropic elastic solids containing interacting multiple anisotropic inclusions subject to remote uniaxial tension. The method is applied to two-dimensional problems involving long parallel cylindrical inclusions. A detailed analysis of stress field at the interface between the matrix and the central inclusion is carried out for square and hexagonal packing of the inclusions. Effects of the number of anisotropic inclusions and various fiber volume fractions on the stress field at the interface between the matrix and the central inclusion are also investigated in detail. The accuracy of the method is validated by solving the single inclusion problem for which solutions are available in the literature.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.417-435
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• 2021

The optimal distribution of steel fibers over different layers of concrete can be considered as an appropriate method in improving the structural performance and reducing the cost of fiber-reinforced concrete members. In addition, the use of waste tire rubber in concrete mixes, as one of the practical ways to address environmental problems, is highly significant. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the flexural behavior of functionally graded steel fiber-reinforced concrete containing recycled tire crumb rubber, as a volume replacement of sand, after exposure to elevated temperatures. Little information is available in the literature regarding this subject. To achieve this goal, a set of 54 one-, two-, and three-layer concrete beam specimens with different fiber volume fractions (0, 0.25, 0.5, 1, and 1.25%), but the same overall fiber content, and different volume percentages of the waste tire rubber (0, 5, and 10%) were exposed to different temperatures (23, 300, and 600℃). Afterward, the parameters affecting the post-heating flexural performance of concrete, including flexural strength and stiffness, toughness, fracture energy, and load-deflection diagrams, along with the compressive strength and weight loss of concrete specimens, were evaluated. The results indicated that the flexural strength and stiffness of the three-layer concrete beams respectively increased by 10 and 7%, compared to the one-layer beam specimens with the same fiber content. However, the flexural performance of the two-layer beams was reduced relative to those with one layer and equal fiber content. Besides, the flexural strength, toughness, fracture energy, and stiffness were reduced by approximately 10% when a 10% of natural sand was replaced with tire rubber in the three-layer specimens compared to the corresponding beams without crumb rubber. Although the flexural properties of concrete specimens increased with increasing the temperature up to 300℃, these properties degraded significantly with elevating the temperature up to 600℃, leading to a sharp increase in the deflection at peak load.

• Proceedings of the Korea Concrete Institute Conference
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• 2000.10a
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• pp.683-688
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• 2000

Nowadays, shotcrete plays an essential part in the construction of underground structures, and fiber reinforcement is so useful for increasing the toughness of the concrete that is spotlighted at tunnel or pavement construction. Therefore, many type of fibers have been introduced on the site and variety of tests have been developed to measure and quantify the improvements achievable in fiber reinforced concrete and shotcrete. Therefore, this study focuses on the flexural toughness according to the fiber types and appraisal methods. The major interests are fiber types, volume fractions and evaluation methods.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Manufacturing Process Engineers
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• v.18 no.12
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• pp.28-37
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• 2019

Due to their flexible tailoring qualities, composites have become fascinating materials for structural engineers. While the research area of fiber-reinforced composite materials was previously limited to synthetic materials, natural fibers have recently become the primary research focus as the best alternative to artificial fibers. The natural fibers are eco-friendly and relatively cheaper than synthetic fibers. The main concern of current research into natural fiber-reinforced composites is the prediction and enhancement of the effective material properties. In the present work, finite element analysis is used with a numerical homogenization approach to determine the effective material properties of jute fiber-reinforced epoxy composites with various volume fractions of fiber. The finite element analysis results for the jute fiber-reinforced epoxy composite are then compared with several well-known analytical models.

• International Journal of Concrete Structures and Materials
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.221-236
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• 2016

The aim of this paper is to investigate the compressive behavior and characteristics of amorphous metallic fiber-reinforced concrete (AMFRC). Compressive tests were carried out for two primary parameters: fiber volume fractions ($V_f$) of 0, 0.3, 0.6 and 0.8 %; and design compressive strengths of 27, 35, and 50 MPa at the age of 28 days. Test results indicated that the addition of amorphous metallic fibers in concrete mixture enhances the toughness, strain corresponding to peak stress, and Poisson's ratio at high stress level, while the compressive strength at the 28-th day is less affected and the modulus of elasticity is reduced. Based on the experimental results, prediction equations were proposed for the modulus of elasticity and strain at peak stress as functions of fiber volume fraction and concrete compressive strength. In addition, an analytical model representing the entire stress-strain relationship of AMFRC in compression was proposed and validated with test results for each concrete mix. The comparison showed that the proposed modeling approach can properly simulate the entire stress-strain relationship of AMFRC as well as the primary mechanical properties in compression including the modulus of elasticity and strain at peak stress.

• International Journal of Concrete Structures and Materials
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.29-43
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• 2017

This study investigates the blast resistance of fiber-reinforced cementitious composite (FRCC) panels, with fiber volume fractions of 2%, subjected to contact explosions using an emulsion explosive. A number of FRCC panels with five different fiber mixtures (i.e., micro polyvinyl alcohol fiber, micro polyethylene fiber, macro hooked-end steel fiber, micro polyvinyl alcohol fiber with macro hooked-end steel fiber, and micro polyethylene fiber with macro hooked-end steel fiber) were fabricated and tested. In addition, the blast resistance of plain panels (i.e., non-fiber-reinforced high strength concrete, and non-fiber-reinforced cementitious composites) were examined for comparison with those of the FRCC panels. The resistance of the panels to spall failure improved with the addition of micro synthetic fibers and/or macro hooked-end steel fibers as compared to those of the plain panels. The fracture energy of the FRCC panels was significantly higher than that of the plain panels, which reduced the local damage experienced by the FRCCs. The cracks on the back side of the micro synthetic fiber-reinforced panel due to contact explosions were greatly controlled compared to the macro hooked-end steel fiber-reinforced panel. However, the blast resistance of the macro hooked-end steel fiber-reinforced panel was improved by hybrid with micro synthetic fibers.

• Proceedings of the Korea Concrete Institute Conference
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• 2001.05a
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• pp.591-596
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• 2001

Nine steel fiber reinforced high strength concrete beams and three steel fiber reinforced normal strength concrete beams without stirrups were tested by two point load. The variables studied in this investigation are the shear span/depth ratios of a/d = 2, 3 and 4, steel fiber volume fractions of V$_{f}$ : 0, 0.5% and 0.75% and concrete compressive strengths of f$_{ck}$: 630kgf/$cm^{2}$, and 310kgf/$cm^{2}$. Based on these tests and on tests by previous investigators, predictive equation is proposed for evaluating the ultimate shear strength of steel fiber reinforced concrete beams without stirrups. The proposed equation gave good prediction for the ultimate shear strength of the tested beams.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society For Composite Materials Conference
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• 2004.10a
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• pp.175-179
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• 2004

Since the electromagnetic properties of fiber reinforced polymeric composites can be tailored effectively by adding small amount of electromagnetic powders to the matrix of composites, they are plausible materials for fabricating the radar absorbing structures (RAS) of desired performance. In order to design the effective electromagnetic wave (EM) absorber with the fiber reinforced polymeric composites, the electromagnetic characteristics with respect to the constituents of the composite should be available in the target frequency band. In order to describe the dielectric behavior of low loss unidirectional fiber reinforced composite, theoretical models and mixture equations for estimating its dielectric constant were proposed with respect to the fiber, matrix volume fractions and fiber orientations, and verified by the experiments. From the investigation, it was found that the suggested binary mixture rules agreed well with the experimental results.